The Cybergnomes 2020-21 season has been full of the unexpected, both good and challenging. Due to COVID 19 restrictions, the Cybergnomes have not met in person, but that didn’t stop us from participating. We had very productive weekly online meetings developing a game design to pitch to the judges
Earlier this year, we worked hard on completing the 2021 FIRST Robotics Game Design Challenge, where we created a hockey-themed robotics game called “Bot Shot”. Using the standard field size and game length, we prepared our presentation. We set the game’s rules, gameplays, and designed a field as well as field elements.
Galen, Tristian, and Hongyue used CAD to design and create visual representations of the field and field elements, designing a hockey goal that would allow a human player to block shots by moving covers over the entry points for the goal. They also designed a “Zamboni” that was used during the end game that the robots would pull but it got heavier as they moved it along the field. Sarah and Jasmine put together a formal game manual. With all the rules and how the game would unfold. We presented the game to a panel of FIRST Robotics judges for the chance for it to be used as a blueprint for a future game at a FIRST Robotics competition.
Although we were unable to compete in the at-home challenges because we were unable to work on our robot, we were able to show the design to judges. Galen prepared a flyer about our 2020 robot and Hongyue made a formal presentation of the Cybergnomes’s 2020 robot to FIRST judges for another 2021 FIRST Robotics Challenge.
This year’s participation has been a place marker for next year when we anticipate that we will be able to meet in person and design a new robot for the 2022 challenge “Rapid React”.
Left: Zamboni, Top Right: Puck dispenser, Bottom Right: Goal
